This invention relates to a receptacle for purses and other articles. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved receptacle for personal possessions which is adapted to fit inconspicuously under seats of chairs in restaurants, theatres and other public assembly areas.
In general, most public facilities do not provide adequate storage space for the personal belongings of those visiting such facilities. For purposes of example, consider the dilemma that women with purses encounter when they visit restaurants or banquet halls. Usually, a secure storage space for their purse is not readily available. Often, a lady may be seated at a table which is too crowded with plates, etc. to permit placement of her purse thereon. Even when space permits it, setting one 's purse on a dinner table is a less than ideal storage solution because such a practice may be considered impolite or may result in the purse getting soiled by spilt food. Storage of the purse on the floor is also undesirable because the purse may get stepped upon, kicked, stolen or soiled. Moreover, retrieval of the purse from the floor can be awkward and difficult for people with physical disabilities. The common practice of storing a purse in one 's lap also leaves much to be desired because maintenance of the purse 's resting spot restricts body movement and quickly becomes uncomfortable. Further, the slope of the lap and/or body movements will eventually cause the purse to slide off one 's lap and onto the floor. Thus, the problem of storing purses (specified throughout for illustrative purposes only) and other personal belongings is present in most general assembly areas.
In the past, a variety of devices which provide a storage receptacle in association with a seat or chair have been invented to address this problem. Exemplary of such devices are the receptacles shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 960,360; 1,297,431; 2,163,759; and 3,584,915. However, prior receptacles associated with a chair, or the like, generally present one or more of a number of drawbacks. For example, some prior receptacles comprising metal framework attached to a chair, as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,973,807 and 3,160,438, may inhibit a compact stacking or folding of chairs, a practice which is commonly done when a public establishment is closed and cleaned. Other prior receptacles for use with a chair are mechanically more complex, as for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,900,847 and 4,624,502, and thus, as with prior devices extensively comprised of metal, are undesirably expensive to manufacture.
Several examples of receptacles for under a seat can be found amongst the prior art, however, a drawback in the design of many such receptacles is that the receptacle either protrudes from the chair to which it is mounted, thereby creating a hazardous obstruction, or the receptacle is highly visible, thereby detracting from the appearance of the chair while also presenting the contents of the receptacle as a temptation for thievery. Some prior devices for holding personal possessions disadvantageously cannot be easily retrofit to already existing chairs. Other prior receptacle devices lack means to prevent accidental displacement of personal possessions from the holder. Yet another problem in the prior art is that many receptacle designs are compatible only with a certain type of chair, thereby limiting their widespread use.
There exists, therefore, a significant need for a receptacle for personal possessions that can be inconspicuously retrofitted to practically any chair in a manner which will not prevent stacking or folding of the chair. Additionally, an improved article holder is needed that will not project beyond the chair structure in an obstructing fashion and that provides a relatively theft-proof storage space which is accessible only to the chair occupant. Ideally, such an improved receptacle should naturally assume a closed position which prevents stored articles from falling out. The present invention fulfills these needs in a simple, inexpensive fashion and provides further related advantages.